In-utero pulmonary drainage in the management of primary hydrothorax and congenital cystic lung lesion: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of in-utero pulmonary drainage on perinatal survival in fetuses with primary hydrothoraces and/or congenital cystic lung lesions. METHODS: Relevant papers were identified by searching MEDLINE (1966-2004), EMBASE (1988-2004) and the Cochrane Library (2004 issue 2). Studies were selected if the effect of prenatal pulmonary drainage (shunt, surgery or drainage) on perinatal survival was compared with no treatment, in fetuses with ultrasonic evidence of lung pathology. Study selection, quality assessment and data abstraction were performed independently and in duplicate. RESULTS: Of a total number of 7958 articles, there were 16 controlled observational studies involving 608 fetuses. Study characteristics and quality were recorded for each study. Data were abstracted to generate 2 x 2 tables to compare the effect of pulmonary drainage vs. no drainage on perinatal survival. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) were used as summary measures of effect and the results were stratified according to predicted fetal prognoses. Pulmonary drainage did not improve perinatal survival in cystic lung lesions compared with no drainage (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.32-0.97, P = 0.04) overall. However there was a marked improvement with this therapy in a subgroup of fetuses with fetal hydrops fetalis (OR 19.28, 95% CI 3.67-101.27, P = 0.0005) but not in the subgroup uncomplicated by fetal hydrops fetalis (OR 0.04, 95% CI 0.01-0.32, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Percutaneous, in-utero pulmonary drainage in fetuses with ultrasonic evidence of congenital pulmonary cystic malformations was associated with improved perinatal survival among fetuses with hydrops fetalis and therefore poor predicted survival.

The use of high resolution magnetic resonance imaging in the prenatal diagnosis of fetal nuchal tumors.

Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (fetal MRI) is an important adjunct to antenatal imaging especially when neonatal surgery is contemplated. We report two cases of fetal nuchal tumors, which were diagnosed incidentally on an ultrasound scan and had fetal MRI to aid diagnosis, prognosis, counseling and management planning. In the first case, fetal MRI aided diagnosis and prenatal multidisciplinary management of a cervical teratoma. Tracheal involvement could not be excluded and an ex-utero intrapartum treatment procedure was planned. Postnatal MRI and angiography provided further information prior to surgery. In the second case, fetal MRI assisted thorough counseling following the finding of a cervical lesion thought to be a cervical teratodermoid, a multicystic hygroma or congenital lymphectasia. The parents opted for termination of the pregnancy. Postmortem findings confirmed the extent of involvement of surrounding structures diagnosed prenatally. The mass was found to be a hamartomatous hemangiolymphangioma.